Greetings from Nashville...
where we took a tour of the city today.
We saw the Grand Ole Opry...
from the outside only.
And then we toured Ryman Auditorium...
which housed the Grand Ole Opry for over three decades.
It has an amazing history...
and is now a museum.
The building was originally built by Nashville businessman Thomas Ryman...
as a permanent building for travelling evangelist Sam Jones in 1892.
It was called the Union Gospel Tabernacle at that time.
After the Opry left for the new facilities...
the auditorium was renovated and Ryman Auditorium was named a National Historic Landmark.
It is a premier concert venue and open for daily tours.
The acoustics are incredible...
comparable with those of the Mormon Tabernacle in Salt Lake City.
Who knew that Nashville has a full-scale replica of the original Parthenon in Greece?
It was built in 1897 as part of the Tennessee Centennial Expo.
It is located in Central Park is is now an art museum.
We saw the newly opened convention center in downtown Nashville...
the most expensive publicly funded project in the history of the state.
It covers four city blocks...
and is longer than a dozen football fields.
They are hoping that if 'we build it...they will come'!
That remains to be seen.
Next door to the convention center is the Country Music Hall of Fame...
a museum of country music.
Most interesting!
A large rotunda has the words...
'Will The Circle Be Unbroken' inscribed around the perimeter.
Underneath are the plaques of all those who are members of the country music hall of fame.
We found familiar faces on the wall...
many who we had heard in concert over the years.
We actually looked for Kenny Rogers and couldn't find his face among the others.
As we left the building...
a red carpet was being laid at the entry.
We wondered who they were expecting...
and learned that Kenny Rogers is being inducted into the hall of fame tomorrow.
Just down the road from our campground was an interesting Macdonald's...
the only Mac's with a broadcasting tower on the roof.
For many years WMAC broadcast live from this location.
Only in Nashville!
And where did we stay?
At the KOA in Music City!
We will now be winding our way westward across the states.
Since we have good internet access tonight...
I'm posting a rather lengthy 'postcard'.
Enjoy the weekend!
So interesting!!! I love how the windows behind the plaques represent piano keys! That Parthenon replica is totally amazing!!! We are in Kentucy tonight visiting some friends, so not too far from where you are! Stay warm and safe travels on the roads ahead.
ReplyDeleteYippee for good wifi! I hope that their investment pans out for them! The Parthenon was something. Perfect for an art museum!
ReplyDeleteWhen we were young children, our parents took us to the local high school to see Travelogues about different places around the world. Now, I have the luxury of visiting your lovely blog and learning new and interesting information about my country. Are you sure the red carpet wasn't laid out for the two of you?
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing this on Nashville. Hope you have a wonderful day today!
Interesting post and looks like you are having a great time! Love the KOA sign!
ReplyDeleteThis was a really interesting post card Judy. The only time we were in Nashville there was still and Opreyland. It was quite the place and we spent part of a day there. Beautiful buildings I must say. That convention centre is huge! Enjoy your next adventure on the road. Blessings.
ReplyDeleteVery interesting...so interesting that I forwarded the link to John so that he can read it, too. Continued happy trails...
ReplyDeleteI've always wanted to visit Nashville! I remember seeing TV shows filmed at the Grand Ole Opry when I was a child. This was a fascinating post, Judy!
ReplyDeleteI love it!! This would be right up Louis Dean's alley!! My sister and her husband visited there last month and she said she have had an even BETTER time if Louis Dean had been there because he would have enjoyed it so much! Kenny Rogers is a favorite of mine.......love all his music......my daughter, Amber, met him when she was working for a magazine in Houston and helped introduce him at a function. Personally, I liked his looks better BEFORE he had so much done. Thankfully his voice stayed the same. I always sing along to the song - 'You gotta know when to hold 'em, know when to fold 'em....' But I always mix up the line that comes soon after. I sing 'You gotta count your blessings....' when it should be 'don't count your money sitting at the table.' Glad to see the postcard and know y'all are having a good time!
ReplyDeleteLong postcards are better than short post cards. I saw a wooden postcard yesterday and couldn't help but think of you! I am now humming Kenny Roger tunes... and thinking of him the way he used to look. =)
ReplyDeleteWe have driven the Blue Ridge Parkway..it is lovely! Been to Nashville a couple of times, too. Last time we were guests of the doctor I work for. He took us there for 3 nights and we stayed at the Opryland Hotel...wow! it's nice! Looks like you saw the sights. Too bad you missed Kenny, but with all the work he has had done, you may not have recognized him anyway! ha! ha!
ReplyDeleteI am so loving this trip. Autumn in the south is great. And the food is good too?
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